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Translation for Jay Chou’s Dandelion’s promise

 Translation By: Ting

小學籬芭旁的蒲公英　是記憶裡有味道的風景
The dandelion next to the hedge in our elementary school
is a flavored and fragrant memory that’s worth savoring.
午睡操場傳來蟬的聲音　多少年後也還是很好聽
The chirps of cicadas on the playground flowed into our siesta
The sound is still mellifluous, after so many years.

將願望折紙飛機寄成信　因為我們等不到那流星
Come fold our wishes into paperplanes and letters
Because we cannot wait for the coming of shooting stars
認真投決定命運的硬幣　卻不知道到底能去哪裡
With all your heart, throw the coin that would determine our fate
though never knowing, where it goes and where it will take us

＃一起長大的約定　那樣清晰　打過勾的我相信
Our promise about growing up together, in stark clarity.
I believe in deals made with interlocked fingers
說好要一起旅行　是妳如今　唯一堅持的任性
We said we would go travelling together
and that is the only willful consistency I can find in you now

在走廊上罰站打手心　我們卻注意窗邊的蜻蜓
On the corridor, our palms were slapped as punishment
but we only noticed the dragonfly on the window ledge
我去到哪裡妳都跟很緊　很多的夢在等待著進行
Wherever I went, you followed closely
Many dreams were waiting to be realized

Repeat ＃

一起長大的約定　那樣真心　與妳聊不完的曾經
Our promise about growing up together, in sincerity,
a ‘once’ that we could not stop talking about
而我已經分不清　妳是友情　還是錯過的愛情
though I can no longer tell whether it is friendship
or a love that has slipped through my fingers

周杰倫 – 彩虹 (英文翻譯) / Jay Chou – Rainbow (Translation)

Translation by: Ting

哪裡有彩虹告訴我
Where will I find a rainbow to tell me
能不能把我的願望還給我
whether I can have my wish back?
為什麼天這麼安靜
Why is the sky so quiet?
所有雲都跑到我這裡
Because all the clouds are with me now.
有沒有口罩一個給我
Do you have a mask for me?
釋懷說了太多就成真不了
If I open up, my thoughts will overflow and they won’t come true.
也許時間是一種解藥
Perhaps time is an antidote
也是我現在正服下的毒藥
or a poison that I am taking
看不見你的笑 我怎麼睡得著
How can I sleep without seeing your smile?
你的身影這麼近我卻抱不到
Your image is so near yet so far, out of my embrace
沒有地球太陽還是會繞
The sun still rotates without the earth
沒有理由我也能自己走
I can still go on without reason
你要離開 我知道很簡單
I know it is easy for you to leave
你說依賴 是我們的阻礙
You said over-reliance is our obstable
就算放開 那能不能別沒收我的愛
Even if I must let go, can I at least keep the love to myself?
當作我最後才明白
Just treat it as my late realization

周杰倫 – 我很忙 / Jay Chou – On The Run (Review)

Album: 我很忙 / wǒ hěn máng / On the Run

Artist: 周杰倫 / zhōu jié lún / Jay Chou

Release Date: November 2, 2007

Tracklisting:

1. 牛仔很忙 (Cowboy On The Run)
2. 彩虹 (Rainbow)
3. 青花瓷 (Blue and White)
4. 陽光宅男 (Sunshine Homeboy)
5. 蒲公英的約定 (Dandelion’s Promise)
6. 無雙 (Unparalleled)
7. 我不配 (I’m Not Worthy)
8. 扯 (Tear)
9. 甜甜的 (Sweet)
10. 最長的電影 (The Longest Movie)

Review By: illuminance

Well, after so much waiting, it’s finally here! 我很忙/On The Run – perhaps an album that had many worried and other ecstatic. After listening to it for a couple of days (after all, it was leaked on Halloween 2007), I’d say that in reality there wasn’t that much to be worried about, and there’s certainly a lot to be happy for.

The album certainly showcases Jay Chou’s versatility well. Arguably one of his greatest abilities is to perform in a wide variety on genres and styles, and it is definitely reflected in “On The Run”. From the country/folk of 牛仔很忙 (Cowboy on the Run) to the R&B of 扯 (Tear), there’s a lot to consider. In such a way, people may like or dislike Jay Chou, but no one’s going to call him boring.

Let us begin with the controversial first track, 牛仔很忙 (Cowboy On The Run). It’s definitely the most controversial Chinese song of the whole year. To my knowledge, there’s never been a Chinese song sung in a Western country style, and many feared that “On The Run” would be defined by this song alone, but it isn’t. The song itself has definitely grown on me since my first look at it 3 weeks ago. I have to agree with some of my readers that it’s quite catchy. Yet the song itself is comedic (the music video too) – it was as if Jay Chou knew that listeners would never take a Chinese Western song seriously. Lyrics such as “我雖然是個牛仔　在酒吧只點牛奶” (Though I’m a cowboy, I only order milk at the bar) and “我啦啦啦騎毛驢　因為馬跨不上去” (I ride a donkey, because I can’t mount the horse) definitely lend to its light-hearted feel. Far from cheapening the song, they lend to the song its endearing feel.

The second song on the album is also one that was released to radio stations in Taiwan early – 彩虹 (Rainbow). It’s definitely a slow song about love lost, and the lyrics were written by Jay himself (not Vincent Fang). It’s very melodious, and I like it very much.

Then. on 青花瓷 (Blue and White, lit. Green Flower Pot) we begin to get some songs with lyrics written by Vincent Fang. 青花瓷 has the feel of a Chinese oldie song, with Chinese instruments in the background (I can’t quite place it, but I’d guess a guzheng or pipa). For me, I felt as if I was transported back to an era past – think 1920s-ish.

無雙 (Unparalleled) is something completely different. A rock song about war and battle, it’s similar to some earlier songs from 七里香. It’s the third song that was released to radio stations. I’d sum it up as saying it’s a typical Jay Chou song. Nothing particularly new here.

Perhaps one of the more interesting songs is 扯 (Tear), which of course, doesn’t really mean tear in slang. The beginning reminded me of 紅模仿’s “唉呦”, and this song is R&B with rap parts interspersed with someone singing really high (soprano). It’s a good song.

And finally, there’s 甜甜的 (Sweet), which is the only song that I can truly place into the “Pop” category. If you listen closely, you can hear the “smack” when he kisses, and the “choooo”. It truly brought a smile to my face.

I believe that 我很忙 is truly a good album, and is really good. It is of a different stylistic direction than 依然范特西 (Still Fantasy) last year – which is good! After all, isn’t change great?

Update: Flash audio players are up now, but my bandwidth is almost finished. Anyone have a good recommendation for a hotlinkable file-hosting service?

Update 2: All lyrics fully uploaded.

Update 3: Translation posted here for Rainbow.

Buy Album | Songs from the album ↓

我很忙 / On the Run Review Coming Soon!

Apparently 東方之殿 is not going to be on Jay Chou’s new album. Here’s the tracklisting:

1. 牛仔很忙 (The Cowboy On The Run)
2. 彩虹 (Rainbow)
3. 青花瓷 (Green Flower Pot)
4. 陽光宅男 (Sunshine Homeboy)
5. 蒲公英的約定 (Dandelion’s Promise)
6. 無雙 (Unparalleled)
7. 我不配 (I’m Not Worthy)
8. 扯 (Tear)
9. 甜甜的 (Sweet)
10. 最長的電影 (The Longest Movie)

The album got leaked today, on Wednesday, two days before schedule. That happened last time too with Still Fantasy, so I can’t say I’m too surprised. I’ll have a review and some tracks up by Friday.

Update: Review posted here.